Muslim women say ready to take on ‘gau rakshaks’

RAMGARH: Ramgarh police in Jharkhand set up a special investigation team to probe the lynching of a Muslim trader even as women of his community threatened to take up arms against the self-styled cow protectors.

The administration announced a compensation of ₹ 2 lakh to the family of Alimuddin alias Asgar Ali, who was lynched on Thursday by a frenzied mob for allegedly carrying beef in his car at Bazartand market of the district. A sum of ₹20,000 was also given for his burial.

Ramgarh superintendent of police Kaushal Kishor said an SIT has been constituted under deputy superintendent of police (DSP) to investigate the alleged murder and four teams were set up to nab the accused.

The criminal investigation department (CID), headquarters, formed a special team to assist the SIT in Ramgarh.

Police have so far arrested eight of the 13 people named in the FIR. The other five have been identified and would be arrested soon, officials said.

“One has been sent to jail. We have sought arrest warrants against seven others,” said Ramgarh deputy development commissioner (DDC) Sunil Kumar.

As tension rose in the region, inspector General (IG) ML Meena, in-charge of law and order in north Chhotanagpur region, took stock of the situation along with other officials, and said prohibitory orders will not be withdrawn until the situation returned to normalcy.

Muslim women, disillusioned with the police, believe the BJP government is in cahoots with cow vigilantes.